NEW CASTLE Hill View pares down number of residents

The home should be closed near Valentine's Day.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- The number of residents at Hill View Manor continues to dwindle as the county prepares to close the nursing home.
There were 17 residents in the building earlier this week, and by Friday that number should be down to 11, said Susan Quimby, county human resources director.
An additional 13 employees were laid off Monday, leaving about 40 people on staff, she added.
County officials hope to have the nursing-home operation closed by Feb. 12 or 13.
Quimby said there will be some employees who stay on after the residents are gone. Maintenance workers will need to look after the building, and some office staff will continue work on closing out accounts. She said eventually that work would be taken over by other county employees.
Transfers possible
Quimby said some Hill View workers have requested transfers to other county departments.
No decisions have been made, but those people would be the first to be hired for open positions if they are qualified, she added.
The county also intends to have an auction to clear out items in the nursing home, and some employees will be kept on to help with that process, Quimby continued.
County Commissioner Steve Craig said the two social workers hired by commissioners last week are working with the remaining residents looking for new homes.
County officials decided late last year to close the facility after determining it was too costly to operate.